Missile assembly



Aug 1934' J. E. SHROUT ETAL MISSILE ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed 00%- 9, 1962 Aw. 25, N64 J. E. SHROUT ETAL, 3,345,657

MISSILE ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 9, 1962 INVENTORS flitd 3,145,657 SllLE ASSEMBLY James E. Shrout, Miiddletown, and Alton Z. Halium, Cleveland, ()hio, assignors to Aeronca Manufacturing Corporafion, Middietown, Ohio, a corporation of Ghro Filed Oct. 9, 1962, Ser. No. 229,367 8 Claims. ((11. 102-318) This invention relates to missile assemblies and more particularly is directed to a target missile assembly which includes a combined recovery spike and infrared flare assembly.

The missile assembly of this invention is primarily 1ntended for use in recoverable target missiles. For example, at the present time missiles are utilized to provide high altitude targets for infrared guided devices. As an example, a missile may be fired into the higher atmosphere and may function as a stationary target as it slowly drops while suspended from a parachute. After the missile has dropped several thousand feet, the missile no longer serves as a target. However, the missile still contains valuable electronic equipment which is highly desirable to salvage. If the parachute carrying this section remains deployed throughout the entire descent from such a high altitude, there is a high probability that the parachute will be caught in thermal currents which will carry the missile great distances, perhaps several hundred miles before it comes to earth. Therefore the parachute is usually collapsed after the missile no longer functions as a target and the missile is allowed to fall to the ground.

It has been an objective of this invention to provide an infrared target missile having a recovery spike attached thereto by means of which the impact of the missile with the ground may be cushioned so as to salvage the forebody section of the missile.

Another objective of this invention has been to provide an internal spike mounted within a missile nose cone in such a manner that the spike is exposed after the missile nose cone is jettisoned away from the spike at some predetermined point in the missiles flight. This concept maintains an efiicient aerodynamic configuration during the critical performance period.

Another objective of this invention has been to provide an integral spike and internal flare assembly mounted upon a transverse bulkhead at the forward end of the missile.

Another objective of this invention has been to provide a heat resistant coated spike for use adjacent to high temeprature infrared flares.

Yet another object of this invention has been to provide an inexpensive recovery system for a target missile which requires very few components, is very lightweight and occupies only a small amount of space and which in addition is extremely reliable in operation.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description of the drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a target missile incorporating this invention,

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the forwardmost portion of the missile with the nose cone partially broken away to expose the recovery spike and infrared flare assembly,

FIGURE 3 is a cross sectional view taken along line 33 of FIGURE 2,

FIGURE 4 is a cross sectional 4-4 of FIGURE 2,

FIGURE 5 is a cross sectional view of the recovery spike assembly bulkhead,

view taken along line tgs fiEilt ice FIGURE 5A is an enlarged cross sectional view of a portion of the spike assembly of FIGURE 5,

FIGURE 6 is a front elevation of the spike assembly bulkhead,

FIGURE 7 is a diagrammatic illustration of the missile assembly after the nose cone has been jettisoned and the parachute deployed,

FIGURE 8 is a diagrammatic illustration of the missile after impact with the ground,

Referring to FIGURE 1, it will be seen that one embodiment of a missile incorporating this invention includes a forebody section 10 and a booster or motor section 11. The forebody section 10 comprises a nose cone 12, an electronics bay l3, and a parachute bay 14. During the missile flight, the missile is propelled by the motor or booster section 11. After the fuel supply is dissipated, the booster section 11 is jettisoned from the forebody section of the missile and a parachute 15 is withdrawn from the parachute bay 14. The parachute supports the missile during the target portion of its flight after which I the parachute is collapsed and the forebody section of the missile allowed to drop to earth.

At the time that the missile hits or makes contact with the ground, the shock of the impact if the electronics equipment in the electronics bay is to be salvaged for another flight. To this end, a landing or recovery spike 16 is mounted within the hollow nose cone 12 of the missile. In order to expose the recovery spike to the atmosphere so that it may be used as a landing or recovery spike, the nose cone is disengaged from the missile and allowed to fall free to the earth subsequent to the time that the booster section of the missile is disengaged and the parachute deployed. At the same point in the missile flight, the infrared target flares 17 are ignited and with the nose cone of the missile removed, the flares are exposed to atmosphere and may be used as a medium for target practice.

Referring to FIGURE 2, it will be seen that the recovery spike 16 and the flares 17 of the flare assembly are mounted so as to extend axially of the missile within the nose cone. Both the landing spike 16 and the flares 17 are attached to a transverse bulkhead 18. The transverse bulkhead 18 not only functions as a mounting device for the flares and landing spike but, in addition, serves as an attachment ring by means of which the nose cone portion of the missile is attached to the skin of the electronics compartment 13.

The bulkhead 18 consists of a central hub portion 19 from which extends a radial forward wall 20. At its peripheral edge, the forward wall 20 is provided with a rearwardly extending peripheral flange 21. Extending between the flange 21 and the hub portion 19 of the bulkhead are a plurality of re-enforcing ribs 22. The recovery spike 16 is permanently attached to the bulkhead 18 as by being press fit within a counterbored aperture 23 in the hub portion 19 of the bulkhead.

In order to attach the skin of the electronics bay compartment 13 of the missile to the nose cone section 12, the peripheral flange 21 of the bulkhead 18 is provided at the leading edge with a plurality of apertures 24 and at the trailing edge with a plurality of apertures 25. The apermust be dissipated t tures 24 and 25 are aligned with apertures in the skin of the nose cone 12 and the skin of the electronics bay 13 respectively so that when rivets or bolts are placed through these apertures, the nose cone skin of the missile is rigidly connected to the electronics bay compartment skin.

The forward wall 20 of the bulkhead 1% is provided with six forwardly extending flare mounting lugs 26 by means of which the individual flares may be detachably mounted on the bulkhead 18. Each lug 26 has a threaded aperture 27 therein which is adapted to receive an externally threaded stud 28 rigidly attached to the rearward end of each flare 17. Thus it is only necessary to thread the flares into the bulkhead and burnt out flares may be replaced by merely unscrewing the burnt out flare and replacing it with a new one.

The recovery spike 16 comprises a hollow tapered member 30 which is press fit into the aperture 23 of the bulkhead 18. The forward end of the tubular member 30 is fitted with a steel tip 31 welded to the end of the tubular member 30. In order to protect the recovery spike against the high intensity heat of the infrared flares so that the recovery spike does not become unduly annealed prior to impact with the ground when it must absorb the high energy of impact, the spike is coated with a ceramic insulating coating 32 over which is coated an external heat resistant polyethylene coating 33. The polyethylene coating also serves the additional function of acting as a binder to hold the more brittle ceramic coating in place. These coating materials sufficiently protect the recovery spike against the high intensity heat of the infrared flare which would otherwise anneal the spike and impart to it undesirable metallurgical properties.

The ceramic coating includes an aluminum phosphate base coat, a zirconia base coat and a zirconia cover coat over which is placed the polyethylene coating. The exact composition of the individual coats or layers is as follows:

Aluminum Phosphate Base Coat TrancoX 116 38.5

Polyethylene Cover Coat Super Dylan 6090 Powder After physical application of each of the coats to the recovery spike, the spike is heated to a temperature of approximately 400 F. to set or cure the coating materials.

To facilitate separation of the nose cone 12 from the remaining portion of the missile so as to expose the flares and the landing spike to the atmosphere, a shaped charge 40 is mounted on the forward wall of the bulkhead. When this charge is exploded by an electrical actuating device, the force of explosion acts to sever the wall of the nose cone immediately adjacent the charge. Shaped charge 40 is mounted within an annular peripheral groove 41 in the annular mounting ring 42. The mounting ring 42 is a molded phenolic plastic which is adhesively or otherwise secured to a mounting plate 43 which is in turn attached by means of screws 44 to the forward wall 2!) of the bulkhead 18. Shaped charge igniters 45 extend radially inwardly from the shaped charge 40 and are electrically connected by leads (not shown) to a source of electrical power.

The operation of the combined recovery spike and infrared flare assembly of thisinvention should now be readily obvious. After the missile has been propelled into the atmosphere to a height at which it is desired to be used as a target, the booster section 11 of the missile is separated from the remaining portion and allowed to drop to the earth. Upon separation of the booster section of the missile from the remaining portion, the parachute 15 is Withdrawn from the parachute bay 14. The shaped charge 4% is then exploded so as to sever the skin of the nose cone which drops free from the remaining portion of the missile. Simultaneous with the electronic explosion of the shaped charge 40, the infrared flares are electrically ignited and serve as an infrared target. After the missile has dropped a suflicient distance and is no longer useful as a target, the parachute is collapsed and the missile permitted to drop to the earth. The energy of impact is slowly dissipated by the recovery spike which penetrates the earth upon impact so as to dissipate the energy without destroying the electronic components of the missile. Thereafter the missile may be reused by replacing the flares, mounting a new nose cone on the missile, and attaching a new booster section 11.

Numerous modifications and alterations of the invention will be obvious to those skilled in the art. Therefore, we do not intend to be limited by the illustrated embodiment but only by the appended claims.

Having described our invention, we claim:

1. A target missile comprising a forebody section and a booster section,

said forebody section including a hollow nose cone,

a ceramic coated metal recovery spike mounted within said nose cone operable to sink into the ground and slow dissipation of kinetic energy upon impact with the ground,

flare means mounted on spike, and

means to separate said nose cone from the remaining portion of said missile body during a missile flight whereby said recovery spike will be exposed to the atmosphere.

2. A target missile a booster section,

said forebody section including a hollow nose cone,

a recovery spike mounted within said nose cone,

means for replaceably mounting flares within aid forebody section adjacent said recovery spike, flares mounted in said mounting means, and

means to separate said nose cone from the remaining portion of said missile body during a missile flight whereby said recovery spike and flare means will be exposed to the atmosphere.

3. A missile comprising a forebody section and a booster section,

said forebody section including a hollow nose cone,

a transverse bulkhead mounted on said forebody section,

means for replaceably mounting flares upon said bulkhead,

a recovery spike mounted on said bulkhead within said nose cone, and

means to separate said nose cone from the remaining portion of said missile body during a missile flight whereby said recovery spike will be exposed to the atmosphere.

4. A target missile a booster section,

said forebody section including a hollow nose cone,

a transverse bulkhead mounted on said forebody section,

a ceramic coated metal recovery spike mounted on said bulkhead within said nose cone,

flare means mounted on said bulkhead adjacent said recovery spike, and

means to separate said nose cone from the remaining portion of said missile body during a missile flight whereby said recovery spike and flare means will be exposed to the atmosphere.

said missile adjacent said comprising a forebody section and comprising a forebody section and 5. A missile comprising a forebody section and a booster section.

said forebody section including a hollow nose cone, a recovery spike mounted within said nose cone, flares mounted within said nose cone adjacent said recovery spike, and explosive means to separate said nose cone from the remaining portion of said missile body during a missile flight whereby said recovery spike will be exposed to the atmosphere. 6. A target missile comprising a forebody section and a booster section,

said forebody section having a transverse wall thereon, a forwardly extending recovery spike mounted upon said transverse wall operable to sink into the ground and slow dissipation of kinetic energy upon impact with the ground, and a plurality of flares replaceably mounted upon said transverse wall adjacent said recovery spike. 7. A target missile comprising a forebody section and a booster section,

a forwardly extending recovery spike mounted upon said forebody section, and flare means mounted upon said forebody section closely adjacent said recovery spike, said recovery spike having a heat insulating coating thereon to protect the recovery spike from the heat of the flares, said heat insulating coating consisting of: a ceramic base coating and a polyethylene cover coating.

8. A target missile comprising a forebody section and a booster section,

said forebody section having a hollow nose cone and a transverse wall thereon,

a forwardly extending recovery spike mounted upon said transverse wall within said nose cone,

flare means replaceably mounted within said nose cone upon said transverse wall closely adjacent said recovery spike,

said recovery spike having a heat insulating coating thereon to protect the recovery spike from the heat of the flares,

said heat insulating coating consisting of a ceramic base coating and a polyethylene cover coating, and

explosive means to separate said nose cone from the remaining portion of said missile body during a missile flight whereby said recovery spike and flares will be exposed to the atmosphere.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,095,869 Hyra May 5, 1914 2,338,137 Shea Jan. 4, 1944 2,362,534 Brandt Nov. 14, 1944 2,711,694 Hilliard June 28, 1955 2,933,317 Pittinger et al. Apr. 19, 1960 2,990,775 Henson July 4, 1961 2,996,985 Kratzer Aug. 22, 1961 3,026,772 Moreland Mar. 27, 1962 3,070,018 Fahl Dec. 25, 1962 

1. A TARGET MISSILE COMPRISING A FOREBODY SECTION AND A BOOSTER SECTION, SAID FOREBODY SECTION INCLUDING A HOLLOW NOSE CONE, A CERAMIC COATED METAL RECOVERY SPIKE MOUNTED WITHIN SAID NOSE CONE OPERABLE TO SINK INTO THE GROUND AND SLOW DISSIPATION OF KINETIC ENERGY UPON IMPACT WITH THE GROUND, FLARE MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID MISSILE ADJACENT SAID SPIKE, AND MEANS TO SEPARATE SAID NOSE CONE FROM THE REMAINING PORTION OF SAID MISSILE BODY DURING A MISSILE FLIGHT WHEREBY SAID RECOVERY SPIKE WILL BE EXPOSED TO THE ATMOSPHERE. 